BRUSSELS, Belgium, April 16, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The EU's enlargement chief has backed calls by protesters in Serbia to tackle corruption and boost the rule of law, as she insisted the country get back on track in its bid to join the bloc.

"Serbia has to be brought back on the European track," EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said Tuesday in an interview with the European Newsroom consortium.

"What we are demanding from Serbia on the way of the EU accession is nearly exactly the same as what the protesters in Serbia are demanding," she said, pointing to issues such as "rule of law, anti-corruption and public procurement".

The Balkan nation -- which is a candidate country to join the EU -- has been rocked by its largest wave of unrest since the 1990s as students have led anti-government demonstrations.

Protests started in November after a deadly roof collapse at a train station sparked an outburst of public anger over deep-rooted corruption.

The pressure from the protests led to the resignation of the prime minister and the collapse of the government.

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic claims the student-led protests are threatening peace and stability, accusing the protesters of being paid by "foreign intelligence agencies".

Vucic in a shock move this month proposed a political novice doctor Djuro Macut to lead the government.

Macut has until April 18 to convince parliament to approve a new government. If he fails, Vucic may be forced to call new elections.

"I expect that the new government will be pro-European and pro-reform," Kos said.

The EU has had a sometimes spiky relationship with Vucic as he has maintained Serbia's close ties to Russia despite the Ukraine war.

Brussels has warned Belgrade of the risk of damaging its bid for membership, but it is wary of alienating a key country in the volatile Balkan region at a time of deep geopolitical friction.

Kos, who plans to visit Belgrade in late April, said that she had told the Serbian leader "not to undermine" the work of civil society in the country.

One upcoming flash point with the EU could be Vucic's planned visit to Moscow for a World War II victory parade on May 9.

The EU has warned leaders of countries bidding to join the bloc not to go as it would provide a propaganda coup for Russia's Vladimir Putin.